Page 48 of The Bonus

At least I get to see her tomorrow.

The sun slowly sets behind the buildings and I pick up my phone and check it for the hundredth time today.

It’s nearly five, where is she?

I call down to reception. “Hello, this is Gabriel Ferrara.”

“Oh,” the young girl’s voice stammers. “Mr. Ferrara, hello.”

“May I speak to Violet?”

“Yes, speaking.”

“What time did Grace Porter say she would be back today?”

“Ahhh.” She has no idea what I’m talking about.

“The woman who came to see me yesterday.”

“Oh right, the lady you were too busy to see.”

I roll my eyes at her sarcasm. “I was in a board meeting and I asked you to reschedule. When is she coming back?”

“She didn’t reschedule.”

I frown as I rise to stand. “What do you mean?” I snap.

“I…” She hesitates as if scared to go on.

“Spit it out.”

“She left, sir. She didn’t want another appointment, seeing the first was weeks away. She seemed upset.”

I hang up and immediately dial Grace’s number. I pace back and forth as I wait for it to connect.

The number you have called has been disconnected.

Panic runs through me.

No.

I dial the number again.

The number you have called has been disconnected.

“Don’t you dare.” I continue to pace as my temper rises. “You try this fucking shit on me and that’s it!”

I call the number again in the hope that I’ve dialed the wrong number.

The number you have called has been disconnected.

Infuriated, I throw my phone, and it bounces off my desk and onto the floor.

With my hands on my hips, I pace back and forth. “She thinks she can cut me just like that?”

She thinks that I can’t find her if she changes her fucking number.

This is her being a control freak…that’s what this is. I scramble for my phone and make another call.

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